News
France pushes on with DNA testing for immigrants
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's government avoided a setback over its plan to impose DNA tests on immigrants after making concessions that were approved by the upper house of parliament on Thursday.
Big Nigerian scams intended for UK foiled
Nigerian financial scams which aimed to con Britons out of millions of pounds have been foiled, police said on Thursday.
Japan step closer to extending North Korea sanctions
Japan moved towards extending sanctions against North Korea on Thursday, despite progress in talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, as Tokyo stuck to demands it must learn the fate of Japanese nationals abducted years ago.
Historic Catholic-Russian Orthodox summit comes a step closer
The Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church are making firm progress in preparing a historic meeting between Patriarch Alexiy II and Pope Benedict, a senior Russian prelate has reported.
China human rights a worry post-Olympics - lawyer
Chinese law expert warns that a boycott of the Olympic Games will not stop human rights abuses in China.
Rescuers save 1,950 South African gold miners - 1,250 still trapped
Around 1,250 miners remained trapped more than a mile underground in a South African gold mine on Thursday after an all-night rescue mission in which 1,950 have already been saved.
Indonesia to plant 79m trees in one day to fight climate change
Indonesia, which in the past has destroyed vast tracts of forest, ha said it will plant 79 million trees in a single day ahead of the U.N. climate change summit in Bali in December.
US military: Iraq MP found at al Qaeda meeting
A member of Iraq's parliament is being questioned in U.S. custody after an Iraqi special forces raid on a suspected al Qaeda meeting, the U.S. military has said.
Tutu, Carter & Branson: Darfur violent and divided
International elder statesmen including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former US President Jimmy Carter, and Virgin tycoon Richard Branson have reported that Darfur was rife with violence and was deeply divided, after returning from the region today.
Soaring food prices will hurt world's poor
Soaring food prices will hurt the world's poor and increase the risks of political upheaval, a senior United Nations food agency official said on Thursday.
Ex-Sandhurst head wins princes stress claims case
The former head of the military academy where Princes William and Harry were trained has won libel damages over claims he quit due to the stress of coping with the royal recruits.
Activist tells West not to forget Chechnya
The West must not forget the people of Chechnya, who remain victims of killings, torture and disappearances despite the winding down of more than 10 years of war in their homeland, a Chechen activist has said.
Turkey to modify referendum text to avoid dispute
Turkey's ruling AK Party has proposed amending a text on constitutional reform for a referendum this month in order to avert legal challenges to the status of President Abdullah Gul.
Cholera spreads in Middle East, says World Health Organisation
Cholera has crossed the border in the Middle East from Iraq to Iran, further revealing the need for neighbouring countries to boost their defences against the deadly disease.
US set to continue dominance of science Nobel Prizes
Heavy spending by the United States on research is likely to bear fruit again next week, as the country's leading scientists have been tipped to dominate the Nobel awards in physics, chemistry and medicine.
'Death to Pope' graffiti appears in Naples ahead of visit
Graffiti speaking out against Roman Catholic head Pope Benedict, including one reading "Death to Ratzinger", has been found on walls in Naples ahead of a scheduled visit there by the Pontiff later this month.